Boston Law School Deploys AI Platform for Uncontested Divorces
Suffolk University Law School's Online Dispute Resolution Innovation Clinic has launched an AI platform designed to help people without attorneys resolve uncontested divorces more efficiently. The clinic customized technology from the American Arbitration Association to generate court-ready separation agreements and financial statements formatted to meet Massachusetts Probate & Family Court standards.
The platform addresses a concrete problem retired Judge John D. Casey observed during his years on the Probate Court bench: people whose divorces stall at the registry because their paperwork is incomplete. Couples often return two or three times before filing forms correctly.
What the Platform Does
The AI tools guide users through four key tasks:
- Drafting a separation agreement covering parenting schedules, support, and asset division
- Ensuring the agreement meets court formatting requirements
- Assembling required supporting documentation
- Generating court-ready forms like financial statements from plain-language answers
The system performs calculations automatically and populates information into financial statements without requiring users to re-enter data on the ODR platform. It also handles complaints for divorce and separate support, with guardianship petitions planned for the future.
The Problem Being Solved
Completing court paperwork without legal counsel creates significant friction. Even a short-form financial statement for someone earning less than $75,000 annually can take three to four hours to complete correctly, Casey said. Language around merger clauses and other legal terms confuses filers, leading courts to issue deficiency notices.
Courthouse staff currently spend thousands of hours helping people complete forms properly. The clinic's AI tools could reclaim substantial staff time.
How It Works
Law students from Suffolk's Legal Information & Technology Lab built the platform by observing court processes firsthand. They identified where forms failed and designed guided interviews to prevent those errors.
The platform walks parties through an online process that, if they reach agreement, automatically populates a separation agreement approved by the court. With court approval, parties could eventually e-file directly.
Casey said the most significant aspect is the combination of guided interviews and automated form generation. Users answer basic questions; the system does the math and populates financial statements without requiring manual data entry across multiple forms.
Scope and Replication
The clinic launched in 2024 as a partnership between Suffolk Law and the AAA, with the stated goal of offering an accessible digital process for low-contest family law matters in Massachusetts. The clinic is testing the platform with the idea of replicating it across the country and internationally.
Casey and his students will discuss the clinic's work at a June 12 conference focused on courthouse implementation.
Learn more about AI for Legal professionals, or explore how AI Learning Path for Paralegals covers document automation and form generation.
Your membership also unlocks:
